Multiple printing machine



April 28, 1936 A. L. v. CJDEBRIE MULTIPLE PRINTING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1935 ,Aw I D wi vlv flu z a. 4:6. 494M, /z-KOZ..M

April 28, 1936. A. v. c. DEBRIE 2,039,213

MULTIPLE PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1936. A. L. v. c. DEBRIE 2,039,213

MULTIPLE PRINTING MACHINE F led Feb. 28. 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 W6. Mu;

April 28, 1936. A. v. c. DEB RIE I 2,039,213

MULTIPLE PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1955 7 She ets-Sheet '4 76 i I I 14m. ,Muz

April 9 A. L. v. c. DEBRIE I 2,039,213

MULTIPLE PRINTING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed Feb. 28, 1935 April 28, 1936. A. v. c. DEBRIE MULTIPLE PRINTING MACHINE 'r Sheets-Sheefi 6 Filed Feb. 28, 1935 (m w M M April 1936- a A. L. v. c. DEBRIE 2,039,213

MULTIPLE. PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1935 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application February 28, 1935, Serial No. 8,735 In France March 6, 1934 19 Claims.

My copending application Ser. No. 753,051 filed on November 14, 1934, describes a printing machine for the simultaneous printing of a plurality of positives from a negative passing over a cylindrical drum along the axis of which is arranged the single projecting lamp, the luminous beams issuing from the latter passing through successive images on the negative so as to impinge respectively through the superposed printing gates on the positives driven by drums keyed to a common axis and arranged behind said gates. Two such machines or more may be associated for the simultaneous printing on the different positives of two or more negatives and more particularly of a sound and an image negative.

My invention has for its object an improved control mechanism for a multiple machine of the last disclosed type, said mechanism including independent control means for the common frictional winding and unwinding of the different positives, for the common frictional winding and unwinding of the negatives and for the drive through an independent motor and a common control shaft of the series of superposed drums providing the progress of the positives in front of their printing gates and of the negative driving drums, whereby the usual feed drums may be omitted. Moreover means are also provided for disengaging the positive films with reference to their drive, which completes the independent drives provided in the machine and allows the same scene to be printed several times on one or more positives without disconnecting the positive drive with reference to the negative drive.

I will disclose my invention with reference to a form of execution of a multiple printing ma-- chine provided with independent control means as specified together with certain other novel and interesting features.

In accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a general perspective view of a multiple printing machine.

Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal cross-sections of the negative driving means and of part of the casing of the apparatus respectively for the opened and closed positions thereof.

Fig. 4 shows the shaft carrying a series of positive driving drums.

Fig. 5 shows the motor ensuring the frictional drive of both negatives.

Figs. 6 and '7 are partly sectional front and plan views of one of the frictional positive winding means.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are sectional views of the guiding channel enclosing the two successive driving drums of a positive for three different positions of the latter.

Figs. 11 and 12 are plan and side views of a system ensuring regularity of tension on the positive films in their guiding channel.

Fig. 13 is a detail relating to the frictional winding of a positive.

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically the whole of the double printing machine with the omission however of the optic devices shown merely in a diagrammatic manner at L1 and L2 between each negative and the corresponding printing gates, said devices being preferably as described in my abovementioned copending application. In Fig. l the picture negative I and the sound negative 2 are unwound off their feed reels and wind on their take-up reels frictionally driven by a common motor 80. The parts played by the feed and take-up reels may be interchanged by stopping and disconnecting the motor driving the take-up reels used as feed reels and starting and reconnecting the motor 80' adapted to drive the feed reels used now as take-up reels.

The negative drive is performed by the drum 3 serving also as an apertured cylinder containing along its axis the projecting lamps. The negatives are led on to said drum by rollers mounted on stationary pivots, the elasticity of the negatives being sufiicient for maintaining them in contact with the driving drum. To ensure the projection of the two negatives, two lamps I6 and l! are provided in front of the two series of gates l4l5 (Figs. 2 and 3) corresponding to pictures and sounds. The drum 3 is driven independently of all the frictional drives through the general control system of the machine comprising the motor I00 secured to the base IOI, the shaft thereof 99 and the connecting shaft 66 controlled thereby which carries at one end the driving pinion for the drum 3. To the other end of the connecting shaft 66 is keyed a pinion 65 driving the shaft 6060' carrying the driving drums 91-91 of the positives 5 arranged in front of the gates for printing on the latter respectively sounds and pictures. An auxiliary pinion 98 is interposed between the end pinion of the shaft 66 and the shaft 60 for instance so as to make the shafts 60-60 rotate in the same direction. The positives are fed by the pile of feed reels D and are wound on the pile of take-up reels R frictionally driven by the motor 96 after they have passed over the sound printing drums 91, the tension compensating rollers I25 and the picture printing drums 91'. After the plates P1 and P2 car- IlUUlI rying each two piles of reels have rotated round their pivots as explained hereinafter with more detail, the positives wound on the reserve reels of the third pile D (carried by plate P1) are unwound and rewound on the fourth pile R. (on plate P2) which has taken the place of R and is frictionally driven by the motor 96'. The drive can be of course eifected from R to D or from R to D, if the motor 96' is set operating in place of motor 96. More generally any of the reels of one plate may be used as a feed reel with either of the reels on the other plate as a take-up reel.

The general control through the shaft 99 of the motor I00 also provides the continuous drive of the light control bands I02 and I02 for sound and picture printing respectively, through the agency of the secondary shaft I03. This shaft I03 is controlled by the shaft 99 through a suitable reducing gear and carries at its ends the driving drums I04-I04 for the strips I02-I02.

I will now describe with greater detail the different parts of the machine.

Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal cross-sections through the axis of the driving drum for the negative picture film I and the negative sound film 2. This single drum or hollow shaft 3 is provided at each end with a toothwork 4-5 for driving the corresponding negative through a single row of perforations and with projecting gates I4-I5 in front of the location of the two negatives. The shaft or drum 3 is also provided with a part 6 cut with a toothwork adapted to be driven by the shaft 66 (Fig. l) and has a flange 1 adapted to drive through a frictional ring 9 a speed regulating fiy wheel 8. The latter rotates in unison with a washer II to which it is connected by the spigot I2 and the transverse movements of the fiy-wheel are damped by the springs I0 arranged between the fly-wheel and its washer. The fly-wheel 8 has for its object the absorption of the vibrations produced by the play in the gearwork and the like.

A casing I3 surrounds the drum 3 except at its front where are provided the projection slots or gates I4-I5. The light sources I6 and IT arranged axially of the drum for projecting pictures and sounds are removable. The cover I8 of the casing allows their speedy dismantling. The cooling is eflected by a circulation of air from the pipes I9-I9- passing through the casing; this air after it has passed round the lamps I6-I'I escapes through the apertures 20-20 in front of which the flange of the cover 2| forms a light-tight joint.

The general casing of the machine may be opened by means of the doors 22-22 and it is necessary to shut off the light from the sources I6-I1 when these doors are open so as not to allow any intense illumination of the printing room. To this end I use a cylindrical sliding shutter 23 with two apertures 24-24 protected by glass panes ensuring the rigidity of the films in spite of the pressure of the air inside the shutter, said apertures corresponding normally with the projection gates I4-I 5. The shutter 23 which is locked against rotation by a spigot 26 is connected through a projection 25 with the system for locking the doors 2222. The projection 25 is engaged in the forked end of a lever 28 carried by a spindle 29, the other end of which carried an arm 30. A spiral spring 3| urges this arm into contact with a double lever 32 pivotally secured at 33 to the door 22. When the doors 22-22' are closed (Fig. 2), the shutter 23 does not come into the way of the projection operation but as soon as they open (Fig. 3) the shutter 23 closes the slots I4 and I5 as explained hereinafter.

The door-locking system which controls the sliding movements of the shutter 23 comprises a spindle 34 controlled by the knob 35 and rotatably carried by the guiding bearing 36 secured to the door 22. A cam 31 keyed to the spindle 34 has a helical groove 38 engaged by the end of the double lever 32. The square 39 forming the end of the spindle 34 engages a sleeve 40 carrying a bolting projection 4|. A spring 42 is arranged round the sleeve 40 between said projection M and a projection 44 on the door 22, in which latter projection the sleeve may slide. A spigot 43 on the sleeve abutting against projection 44 prevents said sleeve from moving outwardly towards the door 22 and enters the recess 45 in the projection 44 when the sleeve has rotated through away from the position shown in Fig. 2. The doors being closed, the bolting projection M is held in a jaw 46 of the door 22. In order to allow a control of the bolting from the side of door 22', the latter is provided with the same control means as the door 22 including chiefly a sleeve 41 carried by a spindle 34 and adapted to engage the sleeve 40 through the catches 48 whereby the knob 35' is adapted to control the rotation of the bolting projection 4|. Moreover an insulating plate 49 drivingly connected with the cam 31 carries a contact strip 50 adapted to close, over a blade 5I secured to the insulatingplate 52 on the door 22, the circuit of a signalling lamp, not shown, as soon as the doors are locked in their closed position.

The working of the locking system is as follows: when the doors are to be opened, the operator turns the knob 35: the cam 31 rotates then whereby it shifts the double lever 32 the movement of which is accompanied by the arm 30 urged by its spring 30', which brings the shutter 23 in front of the projection slots I4 and I5 so as to close the latter. At the same time the bolting projection 4I rotates and passes out of the jaw 46 whereby it allows the opening of the doors 2222. Moreover the spigot 43 which has entered the recess 45 is held therein by reason of the pressure of the spring 42 and consequently the sleeve 40 is held in place and so is the lever 32 whereby the sliding shutter 23 can no longer move and the sliding shutter 23 is locked against displacement. When it is desired to dismantle said shutter, for instance with a view to cleaning the glass panes, a releasable stop 54 allows the lever 28 to be held away from the projection 25 on the shutter.

On the other hand. there are provided for controlling the illumination of the printing lamps I6 and I 'I photo-electric cells 55-56 carried by the casing I3 for receiving part of the illumination from the lamps through the slots 51-58 in the shutter 23 registering with cooperating slots in the drum 3. This allows a supervision of the intensity of the lights emitted at any moment bv means of galvanometers, not shown, electrically connected with these cells.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section along the longitudinal axis of one of the vertical shafts carrying the driving drums of the positive films, said films being adapted to receive on said drums the parallel projecting beams from the optic system in front of the corresponding negative.

The shaft 60 illustrated is controlled by the pinion 6I meshing with the pinion 65 keyed to the end of the shaft 66. This pinion Si is yieldingly mounted on the shaft and is provided to this effect with a recess 62 filled with rubber or the like yielding material. The driving teeth 63 secured to the hub 64 keyed to the shaft 60 and passing through this yielding material transmit the rotation of the pinion 64 to the shaft 60 without transmitting any vibrations from the pinions 6| and 65. A stop ring 61 holds the pinion 6| in contact with the hub 64.

The shaft 60 is rotatably held in the bearings 68 and 69 and carries different drums 10-10 provided with the toothworks II-II driving the positive through a single row of perforations. These drums are arranged just above the yieldingly secured pinion BI To the lower end of the shaft 60, a flanged hub I2 is rigidly secured; said hub is adapted to receive a. fly-wheel I3 frictionally driven by the friction wheel .14. Compensating springs such as I5 bear against the washer 16 which rotates together with the fly-wheel under the action of the spigot 11. The casing I8 contains the different parts 8| to 68 and I2 to IT and a projection I9 on the general frame of the machine serves to carry the upper bearing 69.

Fig. 5 shows one of the two frictional drives used in alternation for taking up the negatives as stated hereinabove. This drive comprises a motor 80 secured to the support 8| and the shaft of which projects on either side for frictionally driving the corresponding negatives. This motor carries on each elementary shaft such as 82 a key 83 for securing the hub 84. A nut 85 holds this hub in place, which hub carries the frictional ring 86 driving through adherence the sleeve 81 provided with a flange 88'. The sleeve 81 is provided at its periphery with grooves 89 ensuring the drive of the hub of the take-up reel of the negative considered.

For keeping the sleeve 81 longitudinally in place I use an easily removable stop system comprising a plug 90 held in place by balls 9| engaging an annular groove on the hub and submitted to the action of springs 92 compressed by screws 93. A friction ring 84 is interposed between the plug 00 and the hub 84.

The driving system 80, as shown, serves exclusively for the frictional unwinding of the two negatives, with their two sleeves 81 rotating over their hub 84', stationary at the moment considered, against the frictional resistance of the ring 86'. When the unwinding is performed in the opposed direction, the motor 80 is started for frictionally rewinding the negatives whereas the motor 80 being stopped, the unwinding is performed against the action of friction off the sleeves 81 carried by the shaft ends 82. The elements controlled by 80 such as 84', 81', 86 being exactly similar to the corresponding elements 84, 81, 86 are not shown.

Figs. 6 and 7 are a sectional side view and a plan view of one of the double friction drives for positives comprising a plate P1 and two piles of reels D and D. The motor 96 is secured inside a casing I05 to the frame A of the machine. A plug 204 allows removal of the motor. The motorshaft is provided at its upper end with a small pinion I II and at its lower end with a ratchet wheel 208 the part played by which is described hereinafter.

The pivoting plate P1 encloses a gearwork under the cover 208. This plate is adapted to rotate round the casing I05, over a securing ring 209. However the rotation of the plate is eccentric with reference to the pinion I I I of the motor 3. The plate Pl carries two intermediary pinions I08-I08' the position of which is such that one of them meshes with the pinion III on the motorshaft while the other is spaced with reference thereto. These pinions are in permanent mesh with the large diameter pinions 200200' which carry the elongated hubs I09I09 for the piles of reels D and D'. A key 2I3 is laid in a longitudinal groove of each hub l08--|09. v

For increasing the rigidity of the hub, a vertical spindle 2 passes through the plate and hub and ends with a ring 2I5 held over the top of the hub with bearings 2I0-2I'I of material having a very low coefficient of friction and re quiring no lubrication interposed between the hub and the spindle.

The hub removably carries friction plates M8 and the film-carrier plates 2I9, the former of which are secured to the hub I09 through the key 2I3. The film-carrier plates 2I9 are frictionally driven by the plates through the interposed friction rings 220. A nut 22l holds the plates 2I9-2I8 in place but of course, without locking them together and the film reel 222 is wound in the usual manner over the carrier plate 2 I 9. I may thus superpose round each hub I09--I09 a number of friction plates, each provided with an independent friction plate forming with it a removable unit, the friction plate and the corresponding carrier plate being permanently coupled together.

As stated the printing machine comprises a double system P1 P2 of two reels to either side of the printing shafts 60, 60. The positives may be wound say from P1 on to P2 for a first series of copies and the next set may be wound from F2 on to PI for the a second series of copies.

When the reels on plates 219 are feed reels, the motor 96 is at a standstill as the traction on the film is ensured by the driving drums such as 91. However it is of interest to lock the hub I08 so that the film may be rigid as it passes off the reel towards the printing drums.

This is obtained, the gearwork III200 re maining in mesh, by the sprocket wheel 200 on the motor shaft which is prevented by a catch from rotating independently of the motor in the direction corresponding to the direction of the traction exerted by the unwinding film. The hub I09 being thus held stationary by the motor, the positive reels 222 unwind tautly against the friction exerted by the friction plates 2I8-220.

When the first series of copies is made, the operator causes the plate Pl. to rotate so as to reengage pinion I08 previously disengaged whereby the pile of reels D may form the takeup reels. As soon as the positive films have begun winding round hub I09 and the motor 88 has been started, the different reels driven by the friction plates 2I8-220 continue winding. For this direction of winding, the free wheel 206 does not interfere with the connection of the motor 96.

For the printing of successive series of positives and for each plate P1 P2 the motor is in alternation operative in a given direction for winding the films on their take-up reels or locked with a frictional brake impressed on the unwinding of the films.

I may provide non-acfinic witness lamps at the upper part of the machine frame for allowing supervision of the operation of the motors 96 and the like.

It will be noted that the pile of reels D temporarily out of mesh with reference to the m0- tor 96 is adapted to receive a reserve pile, rapidly set in place, of unimpressed positives which are submitted to printing in the above described manner after a half revolution of the plate P1 (or P2) carrying it. It is of interest to lock the spindle I09 of the reserve pile against rotation in order to prevent an untimely unwinding of the reserve films before use. This locking is provided through the pivotal motion of the plate P1 which causes the pinion III on the motorshaft to mesh with the intermediary wheel I08 controlling the friction drive of the other pile D. To this end, the casing I05 of the motor 96 is provided at its upper end with a toothwork I06 the axis of which is eccentric with reference to the pair of secondary pinions I01-I01 carried by the shafts of the intermediary wheels I08-I08'. According to the angular position given to the plate P1 carrying the two piles of reels, one or the other of the secondary pinions I01 or I01 (for the position shown) meshes with the stationary toothwork I06. Thus the pile toothwork meshing with I06 and which is obviously the one which is not in mesh with the motor-controlled pinion III is held against rotation. When the plate P1 is revolved through 180, the secondary pinion I 01' ceases, with a slight pivotal motion round its own axis, being in mesh with the stationary toothwork I06 while the pinion I08 engages the pinion III so as to allow the unwinding of the reserve reels D, the motor 96 remaining stationary during this unwinding by reason of the presence of the free wheel 206 interposed between the motor and III or else the motor may be caused to rotate in the direction required for tensioning the film during unwinding or for furthering said unwinding. At the same time the secondary pinion I01 is locked in its turn to prevent unwinding of any further reserve reels carried by hub I09.

Returning to the arrangement of the friction drive of the reel carrier plates 2I9, it should be noted that this arrangement prevents any undesirable loop from forming between the printing drum and the take-up reel, by reason of the tension of the film being effected automatically without any jerk; as soon as the motor 96 is set in operation the film is tensioned and when the motor I00 is started in its turn the tensioned film remains taut by reason of the resistance afforded by the friction. Fig. 13 is a detail view of a modification of the friction drive for one or more films to be wound or unwound in the machine. In this figure somewhat similar to Fig. 6 26I is a spindle carrying a pulley 262 and rotatably mounted in the bearing 263. A plate 264 keyed to the spindle 26I is provided with a friction ring 265. Said ring is in contact with a plate 266 the diameter of which is suflicient for carrying the desired film length. The plate is provided with a hub 261 round which the film 268 is wound. The spindle 26I, ends as a part 269 serving solely as a centering for the plate 266. The rotation of the spindle 26I controlled mechanically, is thus frictionally transmitted as in the case of Fig. 6 to the film carrying plate 266. The pressure on the friction ring 265 depends on the weight of the film and is thus proportional to the torque to be exerted for winding or unwinding.

In a general manner the frictional drive for the take-up reels of the negatives and positives should be such that the tension of the film on the feed side is greater than on the take-up side. To this end, I may advantageously make the feed reel friction spindles rotate in a direction opposed to the unwinding whereby the diflerence between the speeds of the friction drives on the feed and take-up sides is always greater than the absolute speed of the take-up friction drive.

Figs. 8 to 12 show the channel guiding a positive in front of its printing drums and relate to an improved manner of feeding the film into said channel. Heretofore films were inserted in front of the gates of the machine sidewise, generally after opening part of the passage. As illustrated, the incurved shape and the breadth of the passage or channel passing round one or both driving sprockets or drums constrains the film, simply loaded or engaged through one end to follow under the action of its elasticity the smooth wall of the channel opposed to the sprocket teeth and to pass out through the other end of the passage. The meshing with the driving sprocket or drum for operation in either direction is provided through a traction on the ends of the film inserted in the channel while any subsequent desired disengagement of the film may be simply obtained by giving it slack.

The passage illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10 comprises two parts I passing at I 2I through a halfcircle round the corresponding driving drums I22 (which are those referred to as 91, 91' on Fig. 1) at a small distance thereof. Between these two parts the concavity of which is directed along parallel lines is arranged a U-shaped part I26 of opposite concavity surrounding at I 2I' the compensating roller I at a small distance thereof. Two small plates I23 secured to the frame A of which parts I20 form an extension arrive tangentially against the roller I25. the drums and in front of the outer ends of the parts I 20 ending each with a roller I28, are arranged uprights I21 forming part of the general frame A.

The films moving in either direction in the channel bounded on one side by the elements I28-I20-I23--I25-I23I20-I28 and on the other by the elements I21I22I26I22I21 receive the impressions of sounds and pictures through the gates I29--I29' provided in the parts I 20.

The setting of the film in place is performed simply by pushing it into either end of the abovedefined channel. The film moves forwards under the action of its elasticity in contact with the concave portions of parts I20 and I26 between which parts it passes across the channel (see Fig. 8 illustrating the loading of the film). Thus the film is prevented from any contact with the sprocket teeth from which it is spaced through part of the width of the channel.

The engagement of the film with the sprocket teeth through perforations on one side only or on both sides of said film is performed automatically as shown in Fig. 9 by drawing out the ends of the film. Such a traction may be exerted by causing the rotation in the desired direction of friction rollers II30' over which the film passes on either side of the channel.

A particularly advantageous application of this arrangement is that of repeated and successive printings of the same scene on the positive. I avoid thus any disconnection between the driving drums of the negatives and of the positives which are positively driven as described hereinabove by common control means. It is sufiicient to slacken the ends I3I-I32 of the positive film (Fig. 10) for instance by unwinding slightly the friction drives. Thus the film disengages the drum toothwork and comes under the action of Lastly beyond its elasticity against the concave parts of the channel. This disengages temporarily the positive with reference to the drums and allows the negatives to be unwound or rewound during this time, together if required with the light control strips such as I02-I02' or the like, without the positive continuing to be driven. I may thus after a first printing on the positives, rewind the negatives without moving the positives considered so that it becomes possible to make a second impression following a first impression and identical therewith and so on.

The parts I20 also form doors for opening the corresponding ends of the passage, said doors being preferably mounted on the pivots I33 of the rollers I28. The gates being opened, it is possible to have access to the inside of the channel for its upkeep.

A film air-cleaning means is constituted by a system of ducts provided in these doors and the opposite uprights I2II2'I'. To this end air is blown in at the entrance and outlet of the channel through ducts I34I35, the air passing out of the channel through the symmetrical ducts I34'- I35. A contact may be provided for signalling when the doors are closed.

I have shown in Figs. 11 and 12 how the superposed compensating rollers I25 are mounted so as to move yieldingly in the direction XY of Fig. for ensuring uniformity in the tension of the corresponding film between its two driving sprockets.

The pivot I36 of the compensating roller 25 is held (Fig. 12) between the levers I3II38 of which one, I 31, is notched. These levers which provide compensation for the film tension rotate respectively round pivots I39-I40 carried by a stationary strap MI. On the other hand the rearends of the levers are connected through a return spring I42 urging the roller I25 to move in the direction of the arrow K of Fig. 12 so as to provide a uniform tension for the film I43 as it passes round the roller. A spigot I44 carried by the lever I33 and engaging a slot in the strap I4I determines the ends of the path allowed for the roller I25. Lastly an amplifying hand I45 preferably with an illuminated pointer shows the amount of tension of the film by following the to and fro motions of the roller I25. This hand is carried by a spindle I41 mounted on the strap MI and is connected with the lever I38 through its projection I48 engaging an aperture in the latter. A protecting ring I49 surrounds the parts above roller I25 controlling the position of same.

Fig. 11 shows a common support I52 carrying the superposed straps Ill housing in their turn the springs I42 in a transversal recess. Two parallel horizontal rods I5I--I52 are secured in bearings I53--I54 carried by the frame A. A stop system comprising a ball I55 submitted to the action of a spring I56 compressed by a set screw presses, through a slot in the bearing I53, on the rod I52 at any chosen point of its length, whereby it is possible to place correctly and at will the unit constituted by the rollers I25 and their compensating means with reference to the frame A and consequently to give the proper length to the film loop between the picture printing gate and the sound printing gate.

What I claim is:.

1. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives, comprising a hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally spaced peripheral series of apertures,

toothworks adapted to engage the negatives and to drive them past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto and adapted to engage the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to series to which the aperture considered belongs a common positive control for the two shafts adapted to drive the toothworks and friction drives independent of one another and independent of the said common control adapted to take up and to feed the negatives on one hand and the positives on the other.

2. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives comprising a frame, a common rotary hollow printing drum, provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks carried by said drum and adapted to positively drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto and adapted to positively drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common positive control for the two shafts adapted to drive the hollow drum and friction drives independent of one another and independent of the said common control adapted to take up and to feed the negative on one hand and the positives on the other.

3. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives, comprising a common rotary hollow printing drum, provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks carried by the drum adapted to drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a fly wheel frictionally driven by the rotary drum, a cold-air circuit for the illuminating means, photoelectric means adapted to control the intensity given out by the illuminating means, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to positively drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common positive control for the two shafts adapted to drive the hollow drum and friction drives independent of one another and independent of the said common control adapted to take up and to feed the negatives on one hand and the positives on the other.

4. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives, comprising a casing, doors for said casing, locking means for the casing doors, a common rotary hollow printing drum, provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures inside the casing, toothworks carried by the drum adapted to drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a cylindrical shutter slidingly mounted on the drum, means whereby operativeness of the door locking means causes the shutter to obscure the apertures in the drum, 9. set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to positively drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common positive control for the two shafts adapted to control the hollow drum and friction drives independent of one another and independent of the said common control adapted to take up and to feed the negatives on one hand and the positives on the other.

5. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives, comprising a hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks adapted to drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beam of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a motor, a common shaft driven by the motor, gearworks connecting said common shaft with both parallel shafts on one hand and the toothworks on the other and friction drives independent of one another and independent of the said common motor and shaft arrangement adapted to take up the negatives on one hand and the positives on the other.

6. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a. plurality of positives, comprising a hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks adapted to drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of an aperture towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a motor, a common shaft driven by the motor adapted to positively control the toothworks, a pinion on the common shaft, pinions mounted yieldingly on each parallel shaft and controlled positively by last mentioned pinion, and friction drives independent of one another and independent of the said common motor and shaft arrangement adapted to take up the negatives on one hand and the positives on the other.

7. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives, comprising a hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks adapted to drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto and adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a motor, a common shaft driven by the motor, gearworks connecting said common shaft with both parallel shafts on one hand and the toothwork on the other, light controlling strips controlled by the said common shaft and adapted to provide respectively the changes in light intensity required by the corresponding negatives and friction drives independent of one another and independent of the said common motor and shaft arrangement adapted to take up the negatives on one hand and the positives on the other.

8. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negatives simultaneously on a plurality of positives comprising a common rotary hollow printing drum provided with 1ongitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks carried by the drum and adapted to drive the different negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corre sponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common positive control for the two shafts and for the hollow drum, a friction drive independent of said common control adapted to take up the positives, a motor independent of the said positive control and friction drive and friction drives adapted to take up the corresponding negatives controlled by last mentioned motor on either side thereof.

9. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives comprising a common rotary hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks carried by the drum and adapted to drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common posi tive control for the two shafts and for the hollow drum, two friction drives including each a motor independent of said common control, a pile of superposed coaxial rotary plates controlled thereby and positive reel carriers lying on each plate in frictional cooperation therewith and a friction drive independent of said common control and two last mentioned friction drives adapted to take up the negatives.

10. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives comprising a common rotary hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally! spaced series of apertures, toothworks carried by the drum and adapted to drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of 75 theapertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common positive control for the two shafts and for the hollow drum, two friction drives including each a motor independent of said common control, the motorshaft thereof, a support eccentrically rotatable round the axis of rotation of the motorshaft, two piles of superposed coaxial rotary plates carried by the support, a gearwork controlling each of them and adapted to be operatively driven by the motor in alternation according to the angular position occupied by the rotatable support, and the positive reel carriers lying on each plate in frictional cooperation therewith and a friction drive independent of said common control and two lastmentioned friction drives adapted to take up the negatives.

11. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives comprising a common rotary hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks carried by the drum and adapted to drive the negatives past the printing drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common positive control for the two shafts and for the hollow drum, two friction drives including each a motor independent of said common control, a pile of superposed coaxial rotary plates controlled thereby, positive reel carriers lying on each plate in frictional cooperation therewith and a free wheel carried by the motorshaft for preventing its rotation in the direction corresponding to the unwinding of the positives, and a friction drive independent of said common control and two last mentioned friction drives adapted to take up the negatives.

12. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives comprising a common rotary hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks carried by the drum and adapted to drive the negatives past the said drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common positive control for the two shafts and for the hollow drum, two friction drives including each a motor independent of said common control, a pile of superposed coaxial rotary plates controlled thereby and positive reel carriers lying on each plate in frictional cooperation therewith and forming a removable unit with the said underlying plate and a friction drive independent of said common control and two last mentioned friction drives adapted to take up the negatives.

13. A multiple projection printing machine for printing a plurality of negative impressions simultaneously on a plurality of positives comprising a common rotary hollow printing drum provided with longitudinally spaced series of apertures, toothworks carried by the drum adapted to drive the negatives past said drum, illuminating means arranged inside the hollow drum and adapted to project beams of light through the apertures in the drum, a set of parallel shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereto adapted to drive the positives, optic means adapted to lead the beams of light passing out of the apertures towards the sprocket wheels on the shaft corresponding to the series to which the aperture considered belongs, a common positive control for the two shafts and for the hollow drum, two friction drives including each a motor independent of said common control, the motorshaft thereof, a support eccentrically rotatable round the axis of rotation of the motorshaft, two piles of superposed coaxial rotary plates carried by the support, a gearwork controlling each of them and adapted to be operatively driven by the motor in alternation according to the angular position occupied by the rotatable support, carriers for the positive reels lying on each plate in frictional cooperation therewith and a stationary toothwork adapted to engage the gearwork of the pile which is not operatively connected with the motor and a friction drive independent of said common control adapted to take up the negatives.

14. In a machine as claimed in claim 2 a passageway for each positive film in front of its sprocket wheels, said passageway passing over a half circumference round the sprocket wheel and adapted to constrain the film urged into one end of the passageway to follow under the action of its elasticity the wall opposed to the wheel.

15. In a machine as claimed in claim 2 a passageway for each positive film in front of its sprocket wheels, said passageway passing over a half circumference round each sprocket wheel with a concavity directed in the same direction for the different wheels, said cavities being connected through a concavity of opposite direction merging tangentially into the first concavities, a roller between the successive sprocket wheels arranged in said oppositely directed concavity of the passageway, the passageway being adapted to constrain the film urged into one end thereof to follow under the action of its elasticity the wall portions opposed to the wheels and to the roller respectively.

16. In a machine as claimed in claim 2 a passageway for each positive film in front of its sprocket wheels, said passageway passing over a half circumference round each sprocket wheel with a concavity directed in the same direction for the different wheels, said concavities being connected through a concavity of opposite direction merging tangentially into the first concavities, a roller between the successive sprocket wheels arranged in said oppositely directed concavity of the passageway, a yielding support for the roller for uniformizing the tension of the film, the passageway being adapted to constrain the film urged into one end thereof to follow under the action of its elasticity the wall portions opposed to the wheels and to the roller respectively.

1'7. In a machine as claimed in claim 2 a passageway for each positive film in front of its sprocket wheels, said passageway passing over a half circumference round each sprocket wheel with a concavity directed in the same direction for the different wheels, said concavities being connected through a concavity of opposite direction merging tangentially into the first concavities, a roller between the successive sprocket wheels arranged in said oppositely directed concavity of the passageway, the passageway being adaptedto constrain the film urged into one end thereof to follow under the action of its elasticity the wall portions opposed to the wheels and to the roller respectively, the passageway including parts adapted to be opened for allowing access inside same.

18. In a machine as claimed in claim 2 a passageway for each positive film in front of its sprocket whe said passageway passing over a half circumference round each sprocket wheel with a concavity directed in the same direction for the different wheels, said concavities being connected through a concavity of opposite direction merging tangentially into the first concavities, a roller between the successive sprocket wheels arranged in said oppositely directed concavity of the passageway, the passageway being adapted to constrain the film urged into one end thereof to follow under the action of its elasticity the wall portions opposed to the wheels and to the roller respectively, the passageway including air circulating means for cleaning same.

19. In a machine as claimed in claim 2 a passageway for each positive film in front of its sprocket wheels, said passageway passing over a half circumference round each sprocket wheel with a concavity directed in the same direction for the different wheels, said concavities being connected through a concavity of opposite direction merging tangentially into the first concavities, a roller between the successive sprocket wheels arranged in said oppositely directed concavity of the passageway, a yielding support for the roller for uniformizing the tension of the Im, the passageway being adapted to constrain the film urged into one end thereof to follow under the action of its elasticity the wall portions opposed to the wheels and to the roller respectively and a common holder for the yielding supports of the rollers adapted to be adjust-ably secured to the machine frame.

ANDRE LE'oN VICTOR CLEMENT DEBBIE. 

